Of course, America also loves Dancing With The Stars and McDonald’s, so maybe we shouldn’t really trust the collective tastes of our nation. Still, these finals have been well watched.

As we have been telling you throughout the finals, television ratings are up. According to ABC, the Lakers/Celtics games have averaged 16.1 million viewers and a 9.6 rating — the highest ratings since 2004. You remember, back when team basketball trumped the Lakers stars.

Finals’ viewership is up 13 percent compared to last year. So apparently you don’t love Orlando that much. Or you love Ron Artest a whole lot… okay, probably not that. We’ll go with you like traditional matchups.

Tragic news for the Celtics and their fans — Kendrick Perkins is out for Game 7.

He arrived at Staples Center today with his teammates, walking on crutches and with a heavy brace on the knee. Looking very down, he said he suffered a torn MCL and a partially torn PCL in his knee. An MRI will be done to confirm this diagnosis.

He added if this had happened in December he would have been done for the season.

Unfortunately, it happened instead at the worst possible time, both to him and Boston. The basketball gods can be cruel that way.

Doc Rivers admitted after Game 6 that not having Perkins makes it harder to match up with the long Lakers front line. More importantly, Perkins is a key contributor to the energy and physicality the Celtics bring on defense.

“He’s one of our guys that I think gives us great spirit, gives us a lot of toughness and gives us size,” Rivers said.

His being out will mean more minutes for Rasheed Wallace and Glen “Big Baby” Davis. Based on their performance these finals, expect Davis to get the start but Sheed to get serious minutes.

To a man, Celtics players are saying they just have to step up. Kevin Garnett said he may spend some time at the 5, and he is fine with that.

“Other than playing point guard, it’s very rare that I’m uncomfortable out there,” Garnett said.

Ray Allen was on that same track last night (about stepping up, not KG at the point).

“We have to push forward, and there are guys that are on the bench that can step up and make the plays that Perk is capable… or that perk has made over the course of our time here,” Allen said. “So you know, it does make Glen more valuable and Rasheed will play more minutes and definitely Sheldon (Williams) will be in there a lot more. We’re going to be counting on them.”

Andrew Bynum’s knee injury is old news — Kendrick Perkins knee injury is the new black. Everybody is talking about it.

But Bynum’s knee is not feeling better, as was evident watching Bynum try to move in the second half of Game 6. It still is swollen and painful. But he is going in Game 7.

“I need surgery, but I’m holding off…” Bynum told the assembled press at practice Wednesday. “Just gotta go out and lay it all out there.”

With Perkins likely out, any lift Bynum can give the Lakers would be a huge boost. A little time protecting the rim could be big for the Lakers. However, the smaller and more nimble front line Boston will use without Perkins could have limited Bynum’s minutes anyway. He cannot track Sheed out to the three-point line, for example.

But Bynum will be out there. He has said he would not let this be is 2008, and he’s been true to that word.